


Worthless

by GingerKittyCat



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 12:28:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1186211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerKittyCat/pseuds/GingerKittyCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Nico." Percy said softly. </p><p>"What do you want?" Nico snapped, his voice icy cold.</p><p>"To make sure you're alright." Percy swallowed, a metallic taste filling his throat. "I, um, I saw you crying." </p><p>Nico stiffened, his cheeks heating slightly. His gaze trailed to the floor and he look embarrassed. No, ashamed.</p><p>"There's nothing wrong with crying, Nico. It doesn't show weakness if that's what you're worried about; it shows someone who's been strong for too long." </p><p>Nico glanced back up at him, his eyes narrowing. "Why do you care anyway?" He spat, his voice tinged with venom. Percy flinched, taken aback by Nico's fierceness.</p><p>/</p><p>In which Nico feels worthless and Percy can't leave him alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worthless

**Author's Note:**

> Hello once again my lovely demigods and mortals :3 Here is the first of many one-shots that will probably come in my week off school. And hopefully, I shall be starting something else that's multi-chaptered. Yay! I hope you enjoy this and have an awesome day.
> 
> Sorry for any and all grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Correcting them or pointing them out would be very much appreciated. I'm also really sorry if they're out of character at all.

Percy wandered through the woods aimlessly, well aware that curfew had passed at least half an hour ago. He kept to the shadows, hoping to blend in and avoid being spotted by harpies. So far he'd been successful, but he knew his luck wouldn't hold forever. 

He stopped, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, allowing the cool air to clear his mind. He was feeling restless and his mind was racing, unable to stop for long enough for him to sleep. That's what had brought him outside- the need to do something, spend the excess energy pulsing through his veins and clear his thoughts.

Just as Percy was contemplating turning back, he was distracted by a faint sound. It sounded like sniffling and a strangled sob. Curious, Percy edged closer, moving swiftly and silently through the darkness. He spotted a dark shape in the distant - a human figure hunched over with it's head buried between it's knees.

As Percy tiptoed even closer, and his eyes fully adjusted to the never-ending black, he recognised the animate being. It was his friend, Nico di Angelo, perched upon the floor alone. His tousled hair sprang in multiple directions like he'd just arisen from his bed, which could have been quite possible with Nico, Percy was never sure when he did sleep, and his pale skin illuminated in the shining moon light. His whole body was trembling and his face was hidden between his legs.

Percy watched him for a moment, trying to guess his intentions. To his surprise, he witnessed the young boy lose his composure and weep softly. The older demigod's heart shattered just watching and he immediately knew that he had to try something to help. He wanted to call out to him, but he figured the younger boy would get embarrassed if he just approached him.

Stepping backwards carefully for several inches, Percy purposely stepped on a twig, the cracking sound echoing through the practically abandoned forest. Nico fell silent and Percy moved back towards him, making as much noise as possible. When he reached Nico's position, he found the younger boy standing alert, his eyes bloodshot and ringed with dark half-moons. His pale skin was stained with tears and his bottom lip was quivering.

"Nico." Percy said softly. 

"What do you want?" Nico snapped, his voice icy cold.

"To make sure you're alright." Percy swallowed, a metallic taste filling his throat. "I, um, I saw you crying." 

Nico stiffened, his cheeks heating slightly. His gaze trailed to the floor and he look embarrassed. No, ashamed.

"There's nothing wrong with crying, Nico. It doesn't show weakness if that's what you're worried about; it shows someone who's been strong for too long." 

Nico glanced back up at him, his eyes narrowing. "Why do you care anyway?" He spat, his voice tinged with venom. Percy flinched, taken aback by Nico's fierceness. The younger boy instantly looked guilty, his eyes fixed upon the ground again. When he spoke this time, his voice was cracked. "Why should you care? I don't matter."

"Who told you that, Nico?" Of course you matter."

"No, I don't. I'm worthless." Nico's eyes flooded with tears and he sank to the floor, his shoulders trembling. He let out a strangled sob before breaking down. "Nobody cares about me. Nobody should. I'm expendable, worthless. I mean nothing." 

"Don't be stupid." Percy said, almost harshly. Without thinking, he shot towards his friend, kneeling down beside him. "You're not worthless or expendable."

"Don't lie to me, Jackson." Nico snapped, shoving Percy away from him as he tried to touch him. A scowl formed across his face and his shot the older boy a poisonous glare. "Leave me alone." 

"I'm not going to leave you alone to beat yourself up." Percy said, his voice sounding stronger than he thought it would be. Though he probably wouldn't admit it, he was scared of the extent of Nico's powers and the wrath he might force up him if he was angry. Nevertheless, he couldn't abandon him. Too many times had Percy betrayed Nico's trust and he couldn't do that again. Especially not now. No, leaving Nico now would break Percy's heart.

"I'm worthless and you've never cared. Just leave me alone and stop pretending to care now. You make it worse. The pain is so much harder to ignore when you're around, Jackson. Just leave like you always do." Nico hissed. His resolve shattered as he spat out the last word and he buried his face in his hands, sobbing violently. His whole being was trembling again and pain radiated from him. Percy stared at him motionlessly, his heart aching, unsure what to do. What could he do?

"No." Percy said firmly and he moved towards Nico again. This time the younger boy didn't object and Percy wrapped his arms around him tightly. Nico turned and cried into the folds of Percy's shirt, permitting human contact on this one occasion. Percy tried to his best to comfort him in return, stroking his hair and placing his chin on his head. 

Percy held him patiently until Nico cried out every single one of his tears, constantly telling him how much he really was worth. When Nico had finished, he wiggled out of Percy's grasp, his cheeks blazing. "Uh, I'm sorry and, um, thanks." Nico murmured awkwardly, clambering to his feet and turning his back on Percy. "I'm gonna, uh, go." 

"Nico, wait!" Percy called, jumping upwards and grabbing Nico's hand. The younger boy jumped at his touch. He turned slowly, his face tinted a bright crimson. "W-What's up?" Nico stammered.

Percy opened his mouth and closed it again, contemplating what he was going to say. He dropped Nico's hand, his gaze falling to the floor. "Nothing. It doesn't matter." 

Nico chewed on the corner of his lip, feeling unexplainably disappointed. He sighed, nodding a goodbye and shadow-travelled, leaving Percy alone. The older demigod shuffled his feet awkwardly, regretting not speaking, before turning and heading back towards his cabin.

/

After eating his breakfast alone and walking back to his cabin, Percy spotted Nico again. He sped towards him, hoping that the younger boy wasn't as fragile as the night before. 

"Hey Nico." He smiled softly, stopping at his friend's feet. Nico glanced up at him, his expression still glum. His face was no longer stained with tears, but it was hardly an improvement. Percy hated seeing Nico in so much pain - he was young and didn't deserve it - but he had no idea how to prevent it.

"How are you feeling?" 

Nico eyes dropped to the floor and he shrugged, his shoulders drooping. The traces of Percy's smile disappeared from his face. He felt useless and empty, unable to aid a friend in need. It was breaking his heart hearing how Nico felt about himself; he saw so much potential and worth in the young boy. He stared at him silently, trying to summon the courage to do what he could not the night before. His hands trembled slightly as he placed one hand under Nico's chin, tilting his face upwards so the younger demigod met his eyes.

"You're not worthless Nico, you're far from it. You're worth so, so much. Especially to me." Percy whispered. With his heart hammering in his ears, he leant down and pressed his lips against Nico's. It was something he'd been dying to do for a long time, but he was always afraid that the son of Hades would try to snap his neck. To his surprise, Nico didn't push him away, but relaxed, his arm looping around Percy's neck. He kissed him back and he was so close to him that Percy can hear his rapid heartbeat. 

Percy smiled, his upturned lips disrupting their kiss. Nico removed his arm from around Percy, quickly stepping away and covering his face with his hands. His cheeks were hot and his hands were trembling slightly. Laughing gently, Percy curled his fingers around Nico's hands and moved them away from his face.

"I told you that you're worth a lot, especially to me." He whispered and pressed his lips against his forehead. As he pulled away, he added, "And you look adorable when you're embarrassed."

Nico's whole face turned a deep red, causing him to resemble a tomato. His expression eased and a smile spread across his face- a real proper smile that caused Percy's heart to do somersaults.


End file.
